Allergen-free collaboration: Four Japanese food firms cook up recipe initiative

By Tingmin Koe

- Last updated on GMT

Four Japanese food companies, Nippon Ham, House Foods, Otafuku, and Nagatanien have come up with recipes that do not contain the seven main food allergens.
Four Japanese food companies, Nippon Ham, House Foods, Otafuku, and Nagatanien have come up with recipes that do not contain the seven main food allergens.
Four Japanese food firms, Nippon Ham, House Foods, Otafuku, and Nagatanien, have partnered to launch allergen-free food recipes, the first collaboration of such in the food industry.

The recipes do not include core food allergens such as egg, milk, peanuts, shrimp, crab, buckwheat, and wheat. Under Japan’s Food Labelling act, it is also mandatory to state the presence of any of these seven allergens in food products.

For a start, the collaboration has launched six allergen-free recipes, including fried curry bread, petit pizza, rice ball, salad and mayonnaise dip, pancake made with rice flour, and ham bread, which are available on the respective companies’ website.

These recipes feature products from the four companies, such as non-egg mayonnaise from Otafuku, curry from House Foods, ham from Nippon Ham, and A-Label salmon furikake from Nagatanien.

The main aim of the collaboration was to “contribute to the realisation of a society where everyone can enjoy delicious meals regardless of food allergy,” ​according to a joint statement.

 The companies said that they have received consumer feedback that it was difficult for them to increase the number of allergen-free recipes, since there was a limited number of processed food ingredients that were allergen-free.

Responding to queries from FoodNavigator-Asia​, the four companies said they have not decided on how often they would release new recipes, however there were plans to hold cooking events using their recipes in Tokyo, Osaka, and Hiroshima.

Moving forward, the four companies will also cooperate to disseminate information on food allergies, and organise related product promotional events.

Food allergen policies

There are currently 27 ingredients that are commonly identified as food allergen in Japan.

While it is mandatory to label the seven core allergens, in the case of the remaining 20 allergens, voluntary labelling is recommended by the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan.

The 20 other allergens include a range of poultry, seafood, nuts, and fruits, such as chicken, abalone, squid, soybeans, apples, peaches, and gelantin etc.

As a general rule, allergens must be listed individually. For instance, they should be listed as the following in the ingredient list: ham (including egg and pork), mayonnaise (including egg and soybean).

They may only be listed collectively on a case-by-case basis. An example is the following ingredient list: carrot, ham, mayonnaise (including egg, pork, and soybean).

Language barrier

While the authorities and industry have made the effort to label allergens in food products, the message may not be communicated effectively to foreigners who do not understand the Japanese language, according to experts.

With more tourists and migrants in the country, labelling food allergens in English is “absolutely necessary”​, according to Dr Motohiro Ebisawa, the vice director of clinical research center for allergy and rheumatology at Sagamihara National Hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Japan National Tourism Organization also brought up the issue of food allergies during seminars with tourism officials, the Japan Times ​reported.

Related news

Show more

Related products

show more

Download the Brochure: APAC Agri-Food Innovation Summit

Download the Brochure: APAC Agri-Food Innovation Summit

Content provided by William Reed | 09-Aug-2024 | Product Brochure

The Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit, anchor event for SIAW, unites over 1000 global leaders every year to accelerate climate resilience and nutrition...

Pycnogenol® for a Healthy Summer

Pycnogenol® for a Healthy Summer

Content provided by Horphag Research | 19-Jul-2024 | White Paper

Pycnogenol® French maritime pine bark extract is the ideal ingredient for summer wellness with clinical research showing it helps mitigate allergy symptoms,...

Elevate your snacks with novel cheese flavours

Elevate your snacks with novel cheese flavours

Content provided by Givaudan | 23-Feb-2024 | Product Brochure

Aside from conducting desk research to understand snacking preferences and taste profiles among consumers in the Asia Pacific, Givaudan also embarked on...

Empowering Women Through the Life Cycle

Empowering Women Through the Life Cycle

Content provided by Glanbia Nutritionals | 07-Nov-2023 | Product Brochure

As discussions around female empowerment widen, and advances in women’s health access and provision accelerate, the implications for business, healthcare,...

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars

Food & Beverage Trailblazers